Swapping One Cage for Another
by migrated-pineapple
Summary: A short story about what Neji feels about Hinata while he's known her.


Not really a romance, but I guess if you want it can be. I'm on writing high tonight. Anyways, here you go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Swapping One Cage for Another

He watched her as she beat mercilessly into the training posts to relieve pent up anger. This was why she never snapped at anyone, because she instead took it out on these unanimated objects, pretending them to be real.

He had wanted to stop her then.

He watched as she curled into a ball, crying out all the pain that surrounded her life. She shouldered so much more than people gave her credit for, including him at some past times in his life. Looking at her now, he realized just how much of a fool he had been.

He wanted to comfort her then.

He watched as she walked around town with a slight limp, an unlike-her swagger. She pushed away all concern with excuses of a tough mission, or of over-zealous teammates that had taken training too seriously. He, however, knew the truth. He heard her screaming out at night, begging and pleading with her father to stay his hand. At first it had only been because she herself was weak, but now it was to defend her sister from her father's wrath.

He wanted to protect her then.

He watched as she stood up for the Kyuubi vessel, proclaiming her love for him in the most hopeless of situations. She had been so brave, stepping forward when no one else would. But even that bravery was broken when the blond had graciously rejected her love for another. He had then watched her break down into a shell of what she used to be, a hapless heartbroken teenager who now had absolutely nothing going for her.

He had wanted to be there for her then.

He watched as she slowly emerged from her mouse-like persona, taking on the most challenging missions to keep herself preoccupied. Some of them were life and death missions, yet she took them anyways, ignoring her family and friend's protests. She came home every time, regardless of the difficulty or the success factor.

He had wanted to express his worry then.

He watched as she took on a genin team, training them to be proficient killing machines. Even though it went against everything she used to stand for, she taught them to be ruthless and knowledgeable of all the pains life may bring about. When one of her students died because of her pushing him too hard, she didn't even shed a tear.

He had wanted to interfere then.

He watched as her coffin was lowered into the ground after being found dead in her bedroom. No one was saying it, but it was obvious that the heiress had killed herself the night before her inauguration as the head of the Hyuuga. She had done what he could not do, escaping her prison in one last act of defiance. Or maybe she had only switched cages.

He had wanted to die with her then.

But no matter how much he watched her morph into something completely new, completely horrifying; he never did anything more than just that. Who was he to tell her she was wrong, or that she was taking a change for the worse? Had he not been part of the reason her attitude shift had become so absolute? Was it not because he had hated her for being born, rather than because of who she was as a person? Hadn't he wished all those times she was beat that her father would miss by a few inches to maybe just end her pathetic excuse of a life? Was it not he that had warned her of the heartbreak that would ensue from her pursuing the blond? Had he not been the one who told her how to act around her team?

In the end, he could not find her at fault. She was just a victim of circumstance, a toy in the hands of fate, a card in the game of chance. It wasn't her fault that she hadn't been able to push away the pain, to survive with the lot life gave her. When one had nothing, what can they do but fight? And once that person loses the will to fight, what to do next but to die?

He lowered his head as the priest said a few more words, the last few shovelfuls of dirt being added to the mound above her coffin. He prayed silently for the repose of her soul, before raising his head once more.

He had wanted to cry for her.

But he didn't. He did nothing other than stand and did as he always did.

He watched.

Fin

M.P.


End file.
